


Head or Tails

by KenjiroS



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Police, Eventual Romance, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 22:53:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17876294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KenjiroS/pseuds/KenjiroS
Summary: Figuring out who, exactly, is the victim in a crime should had never been that complicated. And the victim should had never been this insane. And Aomine should had made more sense.





	Head or Tails

**Author's Note:**

> First time dipping my toes outside of my main fandom. Feels scary. Super scary. Didn't know how to write Akashi, so I didn;t write him much.
> 
> Oh, and the "Royal Stabby Highness" ? All SkyfirePrism. She came up with it and it was too good not to use.

  Night shifts were always hit or miss. Patrol was quiet but Taiga had the weird suspicion things were about to go down any given moment. Beside him, Aomine was on his fourth water bottle, scrolling down his phone, obviously ready to be done with the night. An hour more, and they would both be free for the next two days. It was so incredible he hadn’t really made any plans yet. It felt unreal, like the time off would slip between his fingers and he would end up behind his desk writing reports bright and early around ten in the morning. After the abnormal wave of petty crimes they had been forced to chase down, he wouldn’t be surprised by anything. Not at all. Especially considering how many times their time off had been postponed.

  Taiga wasn’t sure what it said about his personal life that the peak moment of his hypothetical time off would include a one-on-one basketball game against his work partner. Probably that it was pathetic, but he’d never been one to be bothered about stuff like that. Aomine was a total jerk with the only thing bigger than his basketball talent being his ego, but he was decent enough where it counted. Of course, he considered while checking out the club they drove by for possible bloody fights, he had to make sure he’s look nice enough after their game, since Aomine had announced he’d be meeting The Boyfriend.

  Not that his partner had really wanted that to happen, but “Ryou” had insisted. True, he’d always thought someone as loud and annoying as his partner would end up with a man with the patience of a saint, and a primary school teacher fit that idea all the way, but still. He had to meet the mystery man who’d managed to completely wrap Aomine around his little finger. And maybe send him a gift basket or something. Because that was a feat he’d thought impossible. He grinned. Those were going to be interesting two days.

  But even the joy of possibly seeing Aomine absolutely whipped didn’t stop him from noting the suspiciously looking thugs flee an alley.

 - Here. – Aomine dropped his phone in his pocket and was out of the car in a second. He was a lot of things, but anything less than perfect in his work ? Never. So when he ran to the alley, he knew his partner would have his back all the way.

 - Police ! Drop it ! – The scene was more than typical and he would had sighed if he had the time. Instead, he pulled the frozen man by the elbow and tried not to break any teeth as he slammed him in the wall, the pipe dropping to the ground. The man hadn’t had time to react, what was left to speak. Huh. Good to know the good old uniform still brought respect. Aomine stepped beside him and handcuffed the man, dragging him to the car. Still no resistance. He was probably some college kid who’d thought it would be cool to try and join a gang or become a mafia boss and his buddies had set him up a little challenge. And the kid had lost his cool at the first sign of danger. Teenagers, seriously. He hadn’t been that bad at that age, he was sure of it.

 Now, with his partner handling the criminal, he focused on the other part of the crime – the victim. The man had been pressed in the wall between two dumpsters, eyes straight ahead. Taiga looked him up and down.

  Shorter than him, although most people were, in an expensively looking suit and…

 - Sir ? Sir ! – He tried to speak clearly to let the other man hear him without startling him. Because there was blood dripping down his hand and on the dirty cement, and he still wasn’t responding. – Sir, can you hear me…?

 - Officer. – It was an exhale, nothing more, and Taiga had seen terror and confusion many times, and no two people’s reactions were the same, but this…This was obviously shock already having settled in. Because for a moment the eyes that met his were empty and transparent, looking past him and in him at the same time, and it chilled him to the bone. This…man around his age, rich, probably beaten up, was in no way in a condition to scare him. Poor kid must had never seen actual blood in his life.

 - Are you alright ? – The man blinked and the strange look disappeared. Now, all that was there was naked fear.

 - Yes. Officer, he came out of nowhere and I had to…

 - Seijuuro. – They both froze this time. The man’s eyes didn’t move from Taiga’s face, not even a twitch, and that kind of focus was, again, wrong. Taiga took a deep breath and allowed himself to turn.

 The newcomer looked just as rich as the victim. Ah, they were in that part of the city, after all. A distinguished gentleman. Taiga managed to hold his sneer. He’d seen enough in his couple years in the force to know that the richer the person, the darker the secrets. And this guy was just plain unpleasant, though he wasn’t sure exactly why. And he seemed to know the victim.

 - Father. – Well, that explained a lot. Including the hostile glares. Family was never easy.

 - You are late. And are about to make me late, too. Our host will be disappointed. – Talk about being dismissed.

 - Yes, father. – And then he peeled himself from the dirty wall, trying to walk past Taiga and out of the alley. Which was not something he could allow.

  Reaching out, Taiga stopped the young man before he’s walked by, arm at his chest without really holding or pushing him. He didn’t want another complaint on his file. And the old man looked like he had an army of lawyers on call just waiting to rip every barrier apart. He wasn’t doing that again.

 - Excuse me, Mr… ? – Old Dude was glaring now, trying to make him back off and act like he thought he should – probably throw himself on the ground and beg for forgiveness. Yeah, right. He hadn’t been given Aomine as a partner because he played nice and bowed to people only because their suits cost more than his monthly salary.

 - Akaashi-san. – Taiga snapped back to said partner who had appeared behind the old guy. He was looking at the scene with an expression Taiga had never really seen on his face. It was…Caution. And he wasn’t looking at the old guy. No, it was the assault victim. Why was Aomine suspicious of a man roughly half his size who’d almost gotten beaten up in an alley ? – Kagami, let’s go.

  Taiga could only gape at him. What, the hell…?

 - Oi, Aomine, I have a victim here and I need a testimony, hospital and…

 - Kagami, we’re going. Now. – His partner’s face didn’t seem to allow any defiance. Which was odd since they usually thought the same thing at the same time, and moved like a well-oiled machine. But now, now Aomine was acting like a lapdog for some rich old man. That was not normal. It was wrong, somehow, to see his usually loud and determined partner look ready to bolt from the scene. Something was absolutely going on and Taiga didn’t like it even one bit.

 - I am calling the paramedics first. He’s bleeding. – Taiga didn’t turn to look at the victim. This was between him and Aomine…Or at least that’s what he thought. The old man apparently disagreed, because he waved a little, obviously dismissing them both, and glared at Taiga’s witness again.

 - Our family doctor will take care of Seijuuro. Thank you, officers. Your service is most appreciated.

  What a sleaze. Taiga opened his mouth to argue, but Aomine shook his head, silencing him.

 - Kagami, we have to get that guy in the station. Come on, we have reports to write.

 - What…

 - Now, Kagami. – The last came out through clenched teeth and Aomine reached, dragging him by the elbow just as he’d pulled the criminal only a minute ago. Before he knew it, he was thrown in the seat by the driver and Aomine was speeding away.

 - What the fuck, Aomine ? What is wrong with you ?

 - Not here. – Since when could Aomine even keep a secret ?

 

  Half an hour later, Taiga was waiting for the medics to finish on their criminal and trying to force Aomine to speak by using just the force of his glare. It did seem to be working, though slowly, and Aomine seemed to get more nervous with every second. Good. He deserved it.

 - So, you want to tell me what was that ? And since when we care about how rich the people who talk down to us are ? Because I most definitely didn’t get that memo.

 - Because that was freaking Akashi Seijuuro and, I’m guessing, his father. And you know what ? I am not messing with them. Either of them.

  Things were staring to make sense. Not.

 - And ? Am I supposed to know the name ? – Aomine just glanced up, confusion all over his features.

 - I keep forgetting how recently you moved back here. – His partner sighed. – I used to play with him. Our victim. Back in high school. He was the captain of my team in middle school and a rival in high school. I’ve spent some time around him. He’s not… - Aomine looked almost apologetic. But the thin layer of fear was still there. – He’s not the most stable individual. I would try not to get too close. Literally. There’s been accidents. Nothing that could had been proven or linked to him, but. We all knew.

 - Accidents. – No response. – Aomine, did he set fire to a cat or something ?

 - No…Not like that. Just, stay away from him. He’s not that bad on a good day, but, well, let me tell you. I think he could benefit a lot from some time away from his father and a big dose of prescription medication. And maybe therapy.

 - So you aren’t letting them go because of their money, but because the son will come and skin you while you sleep. – He meant it as a question but it came out as an accusation. Even better.

 - Just stay away from him. He’s not someone you’d enjoy hanging out with. Trust me, I’ve done it.

 - How… - But his question never left his lips as the door opened and a man in a doctor’s uniform headed for them.

 - Officers. – They both nodded. – I have only one question. I know it’s not my place to ask, but why did the man you brought in handcuffs had a whole fountain pen completely inside his side ? Because they are preparing him for an emergency surgery right now to extract it from his body and I am having a rare case of morbid curiousity.

 

  This was probably a very bad idea, but Taiga still walked in the huge business centre with all the confidence he usually carried with him. In civilian clothing and no badge in sight, he headed straight for the receptionist behind the desk in the middle of the huge lobby.

 - Hello. My name is Kagami Taiga and I am here to meet…

 - Akashi-san is waiting for you in his office. – Akashi –san was doing what ?

 - Follow me, Kagami-san. – And he did. No other choice, not really. The building was all glass and steel, money and cold sophistication. Not his environment at all. With the elevator going all the way up, he looked around, feeling his curiousity rise.

The office the receptionist let him to was both different and fitting with the general aesthetics of the building, and it was a bit odd. Still cool and light, but it hinted more of minimalism than of intimidation. The secretary’s desk was occupied by a smiling blond man with his shirt collar open at the neck and a small flowerpot on his desk, the metal plaque stating it was “K. Hayama” who would be helping any visitors. The receptionist nodded at him and then opened the tall door behind him.

 - Akashi-san ? Kagami-san is here. – She listened for a moment while Taiga was looking around for great delight of the secretary, if his huge grin was any indication. Taiga just raised an eyebrow at him. The man’s smile didn’t waver. Was the staff here on drugs or something ? Because from what Aomine had told him, there had to be a catch. Or maybe it was much simpler and there was a lot of money involved. Yeah. That’s what it probably was. – He will see you now.

  Oh, the receptionist. Taiga looked at the secretary one last time and stepped in the office.

  Whoa. Talk about a view. Huge windows, paired with an exceptionally high ceiling, created the illusion of endless space that spanned in eternity in every direction. Mirrors, mirrors everywhere, too many for a closet and most definitely not what he’d expected to see in a rich man’s office. Bookshelves were lining the walls though some were freestanding and at some sort of weird angle that had him force his eyes away after a second, because the whole office was furnished to be one huge optical illusion, with books lined on different distance from the edges and subtle tilts on both the shelves and the little artefacts here and there. Framed diplomas, trophies, medals. It was all just a little off and with the mirrors scattered everywhere. It was obviously meant to mess with visitors’ heads. He almost grinned. Something as easy wouldn’t work on him. He did have a head on his shoulders and knew how to use it, after all.

 Behind the desk, what was, he guessed, Akashi-san junior himself, was sitting with his back straight and a serene expression on his face. Taiga walked closer, carefully avoiding some odd globe…thing that was right in the middle of his path, and paused by one of the chairs. Akashi waved silently but Taiga chose to pretend he hadn’t understood the point of the gesture. No way in hell was he getting within reaching distance of a man who had managed, the doctor had confirmed, to lodge a pen in an adult man’s belly, barely missing anything too vital. They had found the wound because of bleeding and not because the piece of stationery had been poking out, it had been that deep, for gods’ sake. He did have a sense of self preservation. He was also armed but would rather not go there and not only because of the paperwork it would lead to.

 Light eyes under slightly darker hair met his and he realised the guy’s eyes were different colours. He’d met a chick back in America with one brown and one blue eye, but Akashi Seijuuro’s heterochromia was in the yellow/pink variety. Who had eyes like that ? Was it contacts ? He didn’t seem the type, with his charcoal suit and slightly pales grey tie, and his neat desk so at odds with the weirdly ordered office.

 Taiga chose the chair that would put him at the biggest distance from the man and sat down. The silence stretched and Akashi seemed intent on making him sweat just by staring. It might work if Taiga’s best friend didn’t tend to just appear out of thin air and stare at people. On purpose. He was sure it was to fuck with people, because Kuroko did have actual character under the bland picture he usually projected. Also, Taiga had never been one to be impressed by money so…too bad for the man in front of him.

 - Taiga, correct ? – He clenched his teeth. Who did this guy think he was, to be act so familiar ? Tatsuya did it, but he blamed it on their time in the States. For s stranger, here, in Japan, to act that way ? He wasn’t so big on social graces but that was still pushing it. – To what do I owe this honour ?

 - Look, bastard. – Akashi’s face didn’t even twitch, though he did sit a little straighter and not so relaxed in his big chair. – I don’t care who, the fuck, you think you are, or who your prick of a father is, but I will see you behind bars for what you did. Get it ?

  This got him a real reaction. The man behind the desk rose and walked around the heavy piece of furniture. Still a full head shorter than him, the bastard paused a step away from him and all emotion drained from his face. The bi-coloured eyes did make him look actually creepy but the guy was short and rich, and in Taiga’s experience people in those two categories couldn’t do much in an actual fight.

 - I do not, how you said it ? “Get it”. You don’t know who you’re playing with, Taiga. – He was dropping his voice lower and lower, until all Taiga could hear was hissing. And yet his expression didn’t change. He wasn’t spitting the words, wasn’t clenching his teeth, wasn’t growing at him. Just staring him in the eyes, slit pupils still, and getting closer. There was something  in the way he walked, something almost mechanical and it reminded Taiga of…

  Years of police work, Academy and playing basketball with Aomine were the only things that saved him. He moved before even realising it, head snapping to the side, and yet he felt the sharp burn on his cheek. He hadn’t seen the other man move, he knew it. Something in his eyes had made him move, because the scissors aiming for his eye grazed his skin only a centimentre below his eyelid. Fucking brat…

  Using the momentum from spinning to avoid the short blades, he lifted an elbow and knew it wouldn’t work before even reaching Akashi. Still. The other man must had been out of balance, so he lifted his knee…and felt it connect.

 

  Apparently, even his Royal Stabby Highness was not immune to the good old knee in the gut. Wheezing, and glaring like he was trying to skin Taiga alive with his eyes only, Akashi dropped down on one knee and kept trying to take a breath. Served him right, the crazy asshole. Which reminded him…Taiga looked around and kicked the scissors under the desk. Best not to give the man any more ideas.

 - Now, Akashi-san. How about a trip to the station ? Attacking a police officer, unprovoked…That’s going to be fun. For me, at least.

 

\- You actually arrested him. – Aomine rubbed his face. – You went and fucking handcuffed the Emperor in his own office. Do you have a death wish, you moron ? Do you ? Or, better, do you have an even tiny bit of grey matter in that thick head of yours ? Because, trust me, you’re not showing it.

 - Listen, he stabbed…

 - I know what he did ! I told you, I used to plat with him ! He’s insane ! He…

 - Daiki ? – Taiga would laugh at Aomine’s frozen face if the topic wasn’t so…Who was he kidding, he still laughed. Hard. His partner gave him a dirty look and then slowly turned around. The newcomer was shorter than both of them, plain at first glance, and worried. Though the huge brown eyes did have some kind of charm, Taiga would admit it.

 - Ryou. – Oh. The Boyfriend. Taiga grinned. This was going to be fun. – You’re here early.

 - Sorry ! I just saw the bus and was afraid I would miss the next one, you know I didn’t want to be late, and then… - Strange, but okay. Taiga tried to tone down the grin. Obviously, this would require gentle touch.

 

  Three hours later, Taiga shot…and point. Of course. The dinner had gone well. After he’d loosened up, Sakurai had become more than good company. He was snarky, he smiled innocently and watched the world burn, and he knew exactly how and where to poke at Aomine to get the best reactions. But they seemed more than in love and Taiga felt a bit better. Not that he’d been worried about his partner but still. It was good he was in gentle, caring hands. Shoot…And point. Perfect.

  And there he was, alone in the dark, in a random court he’d found on his way home, making sense of his thoughts. They were calmer that he’d expected, considering the last few days. Shoot and…

  The ball dropped in the middle of the court. He stopped. How had the man… Because he wasn’t alone anymore. Akashi Seijuuro, in what looked like designer jeans and a blazer, had appeared like a ghost and Taiga rose from his stance.

 - That was fast. – Somewhere in the distance, he heard a phone ring. It sounded a little like his, he thought, but couldn’t spare the attention. Everything he was was focused on the other man and any possible weapons on him. Unlike the morning, he wasn’t armed, didn’t have his handcuffs or gun. Nothing. If the bastard pulled a knife on him at that moment…

 - You don’t sound surprised. – He did, though. A little head-tilt, a few blinks. They were all there, only subdued. Low. Almost transparent.

 - Nah, you’re filthy rich and your dad is a politician. I know you’d be out and about in a week. I hoped they’d keep you behind bars for at least a couple days, but I guess I’ll have to take what I can get.

 - Aren’t you afraid ? Kagami-san ? – What was with the…

 - Who, the fuck, are you ? – The man stepped towards him and in the passing streetlights, Taiga saw his face. His eyes. They were both the same colour.

 - Akashi Seijuuro.

 - Fuck. That. Try again, asshole.

 - I told you. My name.

 - That didn’t answer my question. Who are you ? And who was the guy who tried to take my eye out ?

 - You’re smarter than you look, aren’t you ? – It was almost purred and it took him a moment to get it.

 - Hey, listen up, you little…

 - How about we play a tiny one-on-one ? Maybe I’ll allow you to ask your questions.

 - Why would I want to play with you ? You’re, what, a meter and a half ?

 - I was also Aomine’s captain. But you already know that, don’t you ? – Taiga picked the ball from the ground and smiled, making sure to show his teeth.

 - True. Not that it means anything. But I’d like to see what you think you got. Come on, Emperor. Destroy me. If you can.

**Author's Note:**

> How was that ? Seriously, never written anything with those characters, so be kind. Or not. Kudos, comments and criticisms give me life, so keep them coming.


End file.
